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This invention relates to the field of weapons and tactical arms, and more particularly, to the need to quickly access a weapon from a holstered position to an active position. For example, usually in a police or tactical squad situation, the armed officer uses at least two weapons; (1) a handheld weapon such as a pistol that is holstered either at the user""s waist or across his upper torso, and (2) a long weapon that is ordinarily carried with a traditional sling attached at two points on the long weapon. A shotgun is desirable because it is effective at close-range but is not traditionally effective at long range and this characteristic lessens the risk of injury to innocent by-standers.
Ordinary handheld weapon holsters seemingly satisfy the balance between reliable holstering and the user""s need for quick access. It is only a relatively minor problem to re-holster the handheld weapon, depending upon the safety features associated with the holster such as additional security straps. However, large, unresolved problems occur when a user such as a police officer needs to quickly access a long weapon such as a shotgun or military-style rifle, and even larger problems occur when the user needs to re-holster the long weapon.
It is known in the field to use holsters in connection with small arms such as pistols. It is also known in the field to use a holster that is capable of adjusting alongside the belt as worn by the user to facilitate easy accessibility. For example, holsters that switch between a right-hand access and a left-hand access provide a moderate level of flexibility in holster design. The goal and utility of these prior holsters rests in the ease of withdrawal or un-holstering of the weapon.
It is also known in the field of tactical arms and police tactical accessories to use shotguns to minimize risk to potential third parties or innocent bystanders. It is less known in the industry to use holsters in connection with the long weapons such as shotguns. However, the few holsters known in the field are generally static, inflexible and are only minimally adaptable to situations where an officer or individual user must quickly access a weapon. The concept of ease of access has been a goal of holsters for weapons; however, this goal has not been reached for long, cumbersome weapons. More importantly, the goal of returning quickly any sized weapon to a safe holstered position has not been adequately addressed, until now.
Of the few static holsters that are available for long weapons, they generally consist of a cumbersome receiving clip for the front grip or barrel portion of the weapon. This receiving clip is generally connected to the user at the user""s waist, and it is further used in conjunction with a complete wrap-around or wrap-over fastening material to fully secure the front-stock portion of the long weapon to the user""s waist. Indeed, one primary goal of this traditional complete xe2x80x9cwrapxe2x80x9d system is to prevent release of the long weapon. Because the wrap system described above completely surrounds the front grip area or barrel portion of a long weapon, the butt-stock portion remains ignored. As an afterthought, the butt-stock ordinarily is retained around or near the user""s upper torso by a traditional sling placed around the neck or upper torso of the user. Thus, the prior art concerning long weapons relates to and concerns either an inconvenient sling worn around the user""s neck or a cumbersome wrap configuration, or both.
Because the dual sling and wrap configuration traditionally used with long weapons introduces two distinctly different variables into the user""s access to the long weapon, any number of errors or complications may result; accordingly, the risk of using such combination may outweigh any benefit associated with carrying the weapon. However, the present invention addresses and resolves these issues, and more. The present invention can be used in conjunction with either handguns or with long weapons.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of quickly accessing a weapon such as a handgun, a shotgun or military style rifle whereby a user can move the weapon from a securely holstered position to a free position without complex or risky maneuvers. The present invention contemplates and facilitates a one-handed operation when either holstering, un-holstering, or re-holstering the weapon.
It is still further object of the present invention to provide a method to selectively or automatically retract the butt-stock portion of a weapon close to the body of the user when the weapon is not in active use, thereby minimizing the interference of the butt-stock with the user and facilitating a safe holstering of the weapon.
It is still further object of the present invention to provide a method that facilitates a complete retention system of a weapon on both the butt-stock portion and the front-stock portion, adding stability and security to a holstered weapon.
It is still further object of the present invention to provide a method of keeping a weapon in a holstered position so as to minimize or eliminate interference with movement of the user and to allow the user to have both hands free and unrestricted when a weapon is properly holstered and secured.
It is still further object of the present invention to provide a method of accessing a weapon from a holstered position to a free position without the requirement that the user change focus or divert attention from the overall task or mission underway.
It is still further object of the present invention to provide a method of securing a weapon near and convenient to other tactical items such as ammunition, bullet-proof gear, storage pockets, flashlights, and handcuffs, i.e., to facilitate a complete tactical package.
It is still further object of the present invention to provide a method of securing the front-stock portion of the weapon in a manner that is within comfortable reach of the user""s dominant hand.
It is still further object of the present invention to provide a method of securing safely the front-stock portion of the weapon in a manner that contemplates one-hand operation yet prevents accidental release of the front-stock portion.
It is still further object of the present invention to provide a butt-stock retention apparatus that has intrinsic tendency to retract the butt-stock portion of the weapon towards and close to the body of the user.
It is still further object of the present invention to provide a front-stock holster apparatus that has intrinsic tendency to accept and substantially grip the front-stock portion of the weapon without the need for straps to keep the front-stock portion contained within the holster.
Towards the fulfillment of these and other objects and advantages, the present invention contemplates a method of securing a weapon in a first, holstered position whereby the butt-stock is connected to and secured near the body of the user with a retraction means, and whereby the front-stock is secured to the body of the user within a front-stock holster. The method further contemplates a user moving the weapon from a first, holstered position to a second, free position whereby the butt-stock is still retractably connected to the user but the front-stock is no longer secured in the front-stock holster. In this second step, the user may, without substantial restriction, utilize the weapon for tactical purposes, including sighting and firing the weapon. The method then contemplates a user returning the weapon back to a first, holstered position by returning the front-stock portion of the weapon back into the front-stock holster with one hand, and the retraction means selectively or automatically returning the butt-stock portion to a secured position near the body of the user.
The method described above further contemplates that the first step of securing the weapon will also comprise the front-stock holster being adaptably configured and molded to substantially envelope at least a portion of the exterior surface of the front-stock, in order to facilitate a suitable grip or retention of the front-stock within the front-stock holster.
The method described above further contemplates that the first step of securing the weapon will also comprise the butt-stock retraction means utilizing a retraction cord that is attached to the butt-stock portion of the weapon.